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guitarbuddha -> RE: Examples of good English. (May 29 2013 17:19:28)
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quote:
ORIGINAL: Paul Magnussen
And here’s an interesting one, even if you don’t agree with it:
In my study of communist societies, I came to the conclusion that the purpose of communist propaganda was not to persuade or convince, nor to inform, but to humiliate; and therefore the less it corresponded to reality the better.
When people are forced to remain silent when they are being told the most obvious lies, or even worse when they are forced to repeat the lies themselves, they lose once and for all their sense of probity. To assent to obvious lies is to co-operate with evil, and in some small way to become evil oneself.
One’s standing to resist anything is thus eroded, and even destroyed. A society of emasculated liars is easy to control. I think that if you examine political correctness, it has the same effect and is intended to.
Theodore Dalrymple
LOOK.
In my study of FASCIST societies, I came to the conclusion that the purpose of FASCIST propaganda was not to persuade or convince, nor to inform, but to humiliate; and therefore the less it corresponded to reality the better.
When people are forced to remain silent when they are being told the most obvious lies, or even worse when they are forced to repeat the lies themselves, they lose once and for all their sense of probity. To assent to obvious lies is to co-operate with evil, and in some small way to become evil oneself.
One’s standing to resist anything is thus eroded, and even destroyed. A society of emasculated liars is easy to control. I think that if you examine political correctness, it has the same effect and is intended to.
Too easy isn't it. Here are the steps.
1. Choose a universal observation which is true of all societies.
2. Choose a target.
3. Insist that the observation only applies to the target.
4. Choose a style of language which you know will appeal to your constituency.
5. Ensure that you flatter the intelligence of your constituency by pointing out the stupidity of the target.
6. (AND THIS ONE IS IMPORTANT) Ensure that you are the epitomy of hypocrisy in your statements. eg.
'In my study of THEODORE DALRYMPLE'S quote , I came to the conclusion that the purpose of HIS propaganda was not to persuade or convince, nor to inform, but to humiliate; and therefore the less it corresponded to reality the better.
When people are forced to remain silent when they are being told the most obvious lies, or even worse when they are forced to repeat the lies themselves, they lose once and for all their sense of probity. To assent to obvious lies is to co-operate with evil, and in some small way to become evil oneself.
One’s standing to resist anything is thus eroded, and even destroyed. A society of emasculated liars is easy to control. I think that if you examine MR DALRYMPLE' S ARGUMENT, it has the same effect and is intended to.'
In the much more full and honest article by Orwell he takes great pains to select targets from a wide cross section of the political spectrum. And frankly he attacks this kind of hogwash much more masterfully than I could ever hope to.
But Mr Dalrymple would be hard pressed in his profession if he was an intellectually honest man. Nor would he have as many admirers, people love 'style' (uurgh, this is style!!) over substance.
D.
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